TED Fellows

September 1 - December 8, 2024

What is the TED Fellows program?

TED Fellows provides alumni of the Transatlantic Educators Dialogue (TED) program with an opportunity to collaborate on global projects, discuss salient education-related topics with an international group of colleagues, and expand their professional network. The TED Fellows program will involve hour-long meetings every other Sunday, beginning September 1 and ending December 8. Information on previous TED Fellows participants and projects can be found here.

Teachers who have not previously participated in the TED Program are not eligible to participate in the TED Fellows program but are encouraged to apply to the 2025 TED Program (click here for more information). 

FAQs

How does the TED Fellows program differ from the Transatlantic Educators Dialogue (TED) program?

The TED Fellows program is intended for educators who have completed the first-year TED program to work on collaborative projects in self-selected groups and to discuss current events and classroom experiences with fellow educators. Whereas the TED program comes with a set schedule of weekly session topics, TED Fellows participants are encouraged to determine the content of the sessions.

What types of collaborative group projects can TED Fellows participants carry out?

Projects can include, but are not limited to, student-to-student interactions, collaborative curricular development, student or teacher exchange programs, and developing teacher professional development programming. Projects do not need to last the entire fall semester, involve educators from multiple countries, or require student participation.

How do I propose a project?

You will be asked to fill out a project proposal form that asks for the following information: Who will be involved? What is the project timeline? What will the project entail? Where will the project take place, and what online tools, if any, will be used? What is the goal of the project? 

How many participants may be in a group?

Collaborative projects can be carried out by as few as two teachers, but we recommend groups no larger than 6 people. 

I have an idea for a project proposal but need group members. How do I go about finding other teachers to work with?

There are a couple different options:

1) Use the TED Fellows Padlet or one of the TED Facebook groups (please consider joining the private Facebook group for all TED alumni) to share your project idea and ask that interested teachers get in contact with you. Then, work together to submit a joint proposal. Please keep in mind that groups should not have more than 6 people.

2) Submit a project proposal, indicating on the form the number of group members you would need. If your proposal is approved, we will work with you to find other group members.

I want to participate in a TED Fellows project but do not have project ideas at this time. Is there still a way for me to participate?

Yes! We will share project templates that you can use. In addition, we recommend that you regularly check the project ideas posted on Padlet to see if any interest you. The TED Fellows meetings will also provide an opportunity to join projects. 

May I work on more than one group project?

Yes.

Will I receive a certificate?

To earn a certificate, participants will need to complete at least one project, turn in a project completion form, and participate in the project showcase in December 2024.

Where and when will the TED Fellows program meet?

The TED Fellows program will consist of eight biweekly meetings:

1. Sunday, September 1 at 11:00am-12:00pm CDT (U.S.) / 18.00-19.00 CEST (Europe)
2. Sunday, September 15 at 11:00am-12:00pm CDT (U.S.) / 18.00-19.00 CEST (Europe)
3. Sunday, September 29 at 11:00am-12:00pm CDT (U.S.) / 18.00-19.00 CEST (Europe)
4. Sunday, October 13 at 11:00am-12:00pm CDT (U.S.) / 18.00-19.00 CEST (Europe)
5. Sunday, October 27 at 11:00am-12:00pm CDT (U.S.) / 17.00-18.00 CET (Europe) *please note earlier start time for most European participants
6. Sunday, November 10 at 11:00am-12:00pm CST (U.S.) / 18.00-19.00 CET (Europe)
7. Sunday, November 24 at 11:00am-12:00pm CST (U.S.) / 18.00-19.00 CET (Europe)
8. Sunday, December 8 at 11:00am-12:00pm CST (U.S.) / 18.00-19.00 CET (Europe)

Do I have to attend all of the TED Fellows meetings?

No, but we encourage you to attend as many as you can!

If you have questions about the program or would like additional information, please contact the TED Fellows Program Moderator, Jennifer Smith, at jsmit54@illinois.edu and the EU Center Outreach Coordinator, Sydney Lazarus, at lazarus5@illinois.edu. 

The EU Center is a National Resource Center funded through the US Department of Education’s Title VI Grant and a Jean Monnet Center of Excellence funded through the European Union.